Campus sets scene for a Night to remember

IT was the turn of the Guildford Shakespeare Company to work their magic on probably The Bard’s most popular and performed folly of unrequited love and mistaken identity,A Midsummer Night’s Dream , which they performed by the lake at University of Surrey.

The Guildford Shakespeare Company performing A Midsummer Night’s Dream

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IT was the turn of the Guildford Shakespeare Company to work their magic on probably The Bard’s most popular and performed folly of unrequited love and mistaken identity, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, which they performed by the lake at University of Surrey.

For the Shakespeare sceptic, it is the kind of lighter, comic offering which would seem a safer bet than the darker tragedies, but because of its familiarity it almost necessitates a fresh and innovative perspective which was achieved here.

For someone’s whose limited experience of Shakespeare is still synonomous with unwelcomed exam revision, not to mention uninspired school plays short on laughs, I didn’t have high hopes but fortunately five minutes in found myself converted.

The intimate outdoor setting by the lake worked particularly well, and as the night fell in it became genuinely atmospheric, effortlessly entrancing its audience. It proved that weather permitting, the town’s natural backdrops (the company also perform at Guildford Castle) sure beat sitting inside a cramped auditorium.

At the production’s core was a truly talented ensemble, whose energy and commitment never wavered throughout the three hours as they brought every element of the dialogue and action alive, expertly handling the humour without ever overplaying it.

It was also a reflection of their skills that despite having to compete with the nearby train station and toing and froing of delivery vehicles on a busy campus, they were still able to transport us to this make believe world and keep us transfixed.

While sticking to the traditional form of the play, there were some great touches such as French classic, J’Taime, blasting out whenever the love potion began to take effect on the lead characters when they saw the latest object of their desire. Trudi Jackson as Puck was particularly captivating and Mike Pinch, co-founder of the company, was a scene stealer as Bottom whose natural exuberance and comic ability was reminiscent of James Dreyfus.

As someone who has paid almost three times the cost of this ticket to see other plays which left me completely underwhelmed, this was so far the theatrical highlight of my year.